Luke Jaden, 17, made 'Madman or Martyr,' his documentary about Detroit's role in the Underground Railroad, as a class project.

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"Madman or Martyr" started out as a high school class project tied to Black History Month. It grew into the film that premieres tonight at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

The documentary is about abolitionist John Brown and his role in the Detroit hub of the Underground Railroad. It's directed, produced and cowritten by Luke Jaden, 17, a senior at Detroit Country Day School.

To tell the story of Brown and the antislavery movement, Jaden combines interviews with local scholars, historic photos, reenactments and vivid voice acting that brings to life the words of ...